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The recent public releases of AI tools such as ChatGPT have forced computer science educators to reconsider how they teach. These tools have demonstrated considerable ability to generate code and answer conceptual questions, rendering them incredibly useful for completing CS coursework. While overreliance on AI tools could hinder students’ learning, we believe they have the potential to be a helpful resource for both students and instructors alike. We propose a novel system for instructor-mediated GPT interaction in a class discussion board. By automatically generating draft responses to student forum posts, GPT can help Teaching Assistants (TAs) respond to student questions in a more timely manner, giving students an avenue to receive fast, quality feedback on their solutions without turning to ChatGPT directly. Additionally, since they are involved in the process, instructors can ensure that the information students receive is accurate, and can provide students with incremental hints that encourage them to engage critically with the material, rather than just copying an AI-generated snippet of code. We utilize Piazza—a popular educational forum where TAs help students via text exchanges—as a venue for GPT-assisted TA responses to student questions. These student questions are sent to GPT-4 alongside assignment instructions and a customizable prompt, both of which are stored in editable instructor-only Piazza posts. We demonstrate an initial implementation of this system, and provide examples of student questions that highlight its benefits.
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This content will become publicly available on June 1, 2025
Enhancing active learning through collaboration between human teachers and generative AI
To address the increasing demand for AI literacy, we introduced a novel active learning approach that leverages both teaching assistants (TAs) and generative AI to provide feedback during in-class exercises. This method was evaluated through two studies in separate Computer Science courses, focusing on the roles and impacts of TAs in this learning environment, as well as their collaboration with ChatGPT in enhancing student feedback. The studies revealed that TAs were effective in accurately determining students’ progress and struggles, particularly in areas such as “backtracking”, where students faced significant challenges. This intervention’s success was evident from high student engagement and satisfaction levels, as reported in an end-of-semester survey. Further findings highlighted that while TAs provided detailed technical assessments and identified conceptual gaps effectively, ChatGPT excelled in presenting clarifying examples and offering motivational support. Despite some TAs’ resistance to fully embracing the feedback guidelines-specifically their reluctance to provide encouragement-the collaborative feedback process between TAs and ChatGPT improved the quality of feedback in several aspects, including technical accuracy and clarity in explaining conceptual issues. These results suggest that integrating human and artificial intelligence in educational settings can significantly enhance traditional teaching methods, creating a more dynamic and responsive learning environment. Future research will aim to improve both the quality and efficiency of feedback, capitalizing on unique strengths of both human and AI to further advance educational practices in the field of computing.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1918751
- PAR ID:
- 10561157
- Publisher / Repository:
- Elsevier
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Computers and Education Open
- Volume:
- 6
- Issue:
- C
- ISSN:
- 2666-5573
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 100183
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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